Huron S.D. (KELO AM) - Continuitng a tradition that began in 1884, the South Dakota Farm Bureau will again be honoring farm and ranch families who have owned their land for 100 years or more. Application forms are available now and are due back by August 9, 2014. There will be a special event to honor these families at the South Dakota State Fair.
To qualify for the Century Farm award, a family must have retained continuous ownership of at least 80 acres of original farmland for 100 years or more. If the family ownership of that land has reached the 125-year mark, they may apply to be recognized as a Quasquicentennial Farm. Some form of documentation of the original date of purchase must be included with the application. Application forms are available online at www.sdfbf.org or by calling South Dakota Farm Bureau at (605) 353-8052.
“Agriculture in South Dakota is all about family, and these Century and 125-year farm and ranch families are great examples of determination, hard work, and a whole lot of faith,” said Wayne Smith, Executive Director of the South Dakota Farm Bureau. “It is Farm Bureau’s privilege to recognize these families who are proudly carrying on a generations-long tradition of caring for the land.”
During the program to be held at the State Fair on August 28, the families will receive a certificate from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and a metal gate sign from the South Dakota Farm Bureau. If the family is unable to be in attendance, the awards may be mailed out to them.
Last year, 58 families were honored as Century Farms and 25 families as Quasquicentennial Farms. During the past 30 years, South Dakota Farm Bureau and the South Dakota Department of Agriculture have recognized more than 2,700 farm and ranch families with these awards.